[Zero] The Trump State Department on Friday halted spending on almost all foreign aid grants for 90 days, which also appears to apply to funding for military assistance to Ukraine, Politico reports.
The guidance, issued by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, was sent to all diplomatic and consular posts, and orders all department staffers to issue "stop-work orders" on nearly all "existing foreign assistance awards."
It appears to go further than President Donald Trump’s recent executive order, which instructed the department to pause foreign aid grants for 90 days pending review by the secretary. It had not been clear from the president’s order if it would affect already appropriated funds or Ukraine aid.
The new guidance means no further actions will be taken to disperse aid funding to programs already approved by the U.S. government, according to three current and two former officials familiar with the new guidance. -Politico
Rubio also outlined the Trump administration's stance on spending, saying "Every dollar we spend, every program we fund, and every policy we pursue must be justified with the answer to three simple questions," Rubio wrote. The questions: Does the action make America safer, stronger, and more prosperous?
The new order reportedly shocked State Department officials. |